Monday, December 16, 2013

MM Neighbors: Final, Final Meeting Re: 4642 Magnolia Tonight

Update: The final vote was 19-0, with no support for upzoning.

Sorry for the late notice, just in from Magnolia-Malden Neighbors:

"Due to the split decision among those at last week's meeting and communication into the Alderman's office, there is a final, final meeting tonight to vote for or against the Upzone request for the property at 4642 N. Magnolia.

This is on the docket for the Zoning Committee of City Council tomorrow.

Is the door open for someone to rehab the property? I thought I read that the building was gutted by a fire in the 80s or 90s. While I'm glad it wasn't turned into a bland multi-unit building, being habitable would be even better.

The new owners have said they'd flip the house for their purchase price ($525,000) if a rehab buyer came forward before the new year. There seems to be interest but so far no one has been able to secure financing on such short notice.

After that the house's future is more uncertain. If it's not landmarked, I understand a demolition permit will be issued around December 30. The new owners had offered to leave the house in place until summer in the hope that someone could save it; I hope they'll still do that.

The fire was in 1993 and yes, the house is gutted. (I haven't seen the interior personally but nobody disputes that.) It would need a full rehab, but as it's a historic building in a national landmark district there are very generous tax incentives available to anyone who could fix it up.

(Not to mention that that person would get to live in one of the most beautiful houses in Sheridan Park, and would be a neighborhood hero on top of it.)

Morris, William - "These old buildings do not belong to us only, they belong to our forefathers and they will belong to our descendants unless we play them false. They are not in any sense our own property to do with as we like with them. We are only trustees for those that come after us."

this is NOT the best looking house in Sheridan Park. There are dozens of better looking homes. Now this is an example of a short period of time in Sheridan Park when houses like this were common and then were replaced with the brick/stone center entrance six flats that dominate many of those blocks.

Second, fortunately or unfortunately depending on your point of view this house is likely to be torn down by summer. I could be wrong, it's been known to happen.

Third if we want to start quoting things let's start with Shakespeare and move on to American movies of the 30 years or so.

"Havoc" as used here means allowing the seizure of "spoil" and is basically an order for looting. One problem I have with preservationists is that as a group they insist on attempting to "save" nearly every old buiilding regardless of the merit of the old building and its economic viability. Now there are houses and multifamily buildings in Sheridan Park that any reasonable person would argue are worth saving. This particular house is not one of those buildings.

Reasonable people can differ on the merits of this particular house. I'd put it in the "taint" category. Taint grand, taint horrible. It is however one of the last standing representatives of that earlier Sheridan Park time period so that's "sumtin". Is it enough to justify saving it? I don't think so, but other people of sincere belief disagree.

Otter--"Animal House" 1978 "No, I think we have to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part!"